Saudi Arabia to Offer Tourist Visas Starting in June 2015

Saudi Arabia is not quite the hermit kingdom of North Korea, but it remains an elusive destination, difficult to enter and currently impossible to be an official tourist in outside of a narrow exception for Hajj or Umrah travelers. That changes this summer, as the Kingdom has announced that tourist visas will be issued beginning in June 2015.

But the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has smartly realized that even the sandbox of Saudi Arabia is filled with culture and the Kingdom is missing out in millions, perhaps billions, of tourist and conference dollars each year by maintaining such a strict visa regime.

Jeddah was a great city — the Park Hyatt there was spectacular and with cheap airfares on SkyTeam member Saudia to destinations around the globe, a stop for a few days in Saudi Arabia on the way or way back from a trip is worthy of consideration.

Details are not out yet — will a tour guide be required like Iran requires for Americans traveling in the Islamic Republic? Will the holy sites of Mecca still be off-limits? Will the Kingdom allowed female tourists to drive or sit with male friends in restaurants?

While money may be at the root of this change, the cultural shift is noteworthy and I am hopeful that the this change in visa policy will mark the start of a cultural liberalization in which minority religions do not have to practice in secret and women may make the choice whether to travel alone or without religious garb. But one step at a time…the tourists visas are a start.

Saudia Arabia will likely never be like Dubai, Qatar, or Abu Dhabi in terms of a world mega-hub city, but I certainly recommend a visit. Peruse my trip report below for a look at Jeddah, the Park Hyatt Jeddah, and Saudia:

About Author

Matthew

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he
travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 120
countries over the last decade. Working both in the aviation industry
and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in the New York
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international relations, American government, and later obtaining a
law degree, Matthew has a plethora of knowledge outside the travel
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the United States Air Force, on Capitol Hill, and in the White House.
His Live and Let's Fly blog shares the latest news in the airline
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